If Saransh Jain breaks into India's playing XI in Galle, he won't just achieve his dream of representing the country. He will also join an extremely exclusive club by becoming only the third Indian cricketer to make his international debut before playing a single IPL match since the league began in 2008.
However, a handful of players have travelled the opposite route by making their India debut before featuring in the IPL. Since the inaugural IPL season in 2008, only Murali Vijay and Mohammed Shami have achieved that feat.
Who are the two players?
Murali Vijay
The right-handed opener made his Test debut against Australia in Nagpur on November 6, 2008, during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. At that stage, the inaugural IPL season had already concluded, but Vijay had not featured in the tournament.
Mohammed Shami
Only later that year did Shami make his IPL debut for Kolkata Knight Riders, meaning he had already represented India before playing his first IPL match.
— Ajinkya Dhamdhere (@ajinkyasd) July 27, 2026
Can Saransh Jain make his Test debut in Sri Lanka?
India's likely XI for the first Test appears to include Ravindra Jadeja, Manav Suthar and Kuldeep Yadav as the three spin options, especially with Washington Sundar unavailable for the opening Test. That combination offers a balance of experience, wicket-taking ability and lower-order batting, making it the most likely choice for the Galle conditions.
There are also fitness factors that could influence the final XI. If Jasprit Bumrah receives clearance from the BCCI Centre of Excellence, India are likely to field two seamers alongside three spinners. However, if Bumrah is unavailable, Prasidh Krishna is expected to replace him rather than prompting another spin-bowling change.
If Saransh Jain receives his maiden Test cap in Sri Lanka, he will become only the third Indian player to represent the country before making an IPL appearance, joining Murali Vijay and Mohammed Shami in a very exclusive club. However, if he has to wait for his opportunity, that rare record will remain limited to just two Indian cricketers for a little longer.
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